Combined electric and flame light



P 1937- o. c. BRITSCH COMBINED ELECTRIC AND FLAME LIGHT Filed Nbv. 11, 1932 Fi /a F5 11 Q4 0 a. 5 EIINYENTOR BY W ,f q @M ATT RNEYf PM... Apr. c.1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Henry Application November 11, i932, Serial No. 42,80

scum.

In my prior application, Serial No. 594,215, died February 20th, 1932, I have described a combined flashlight and lighter both of which are contained in a single casing. In the present application parts have been simplified and made more compact, and parts have been modified so as to make the operation more easy and more nearly automatic. The electric light can be turned on simultaneously with opening of a cover, and closing the cover automatically extinguishes the flashlight and the flame.

In the present application the elements for the electric light cooperate with elements or the flame light in sucha manner as to hold the parts in assembled relation and a supporting member in the device holds an electric light bulb and a cantilever member, which cantilever member serves as a clamp and has a portion of the electric circuit and has a support for a spark device for the lamp.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an edge view or the device with a portion in section taken along the line I-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the cover removed; Fig. 4 is an edge view on a smaller scale showing the cover in open position; Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4 with the cover removed and a part in section; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a supporting plate; Fig. 'l is a section along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a section through a spring holding member; Fig. 9 is a side view of the cantilever member; Fig. 10 is a side view of a pivoted contact member; Fig. 11 is a side view of the contact member with a cooperating part; Fig. 12 is a side view of the upper end or the container and Fig. 13 is a vertical section along the line Il-II of 1'18. 12.

Figures 1, 2 and 8 are on a larger scale than the others.

In the drawing reference character I indicates a container for liquid fuel for the flame. It is provided with opposite flat sides and intermediate concave sides I (Fig. 5).

A support 2 in the shape of a flanged oval shaped metal plate is provided at the upper end of the container I. The flanges 3 along the edges of the support 2 trictionally engage the con- 50 tainer I along its flat sides.

A bottom member 4, which may, tor example, be in the form of a flat bottom finishing plate, is spaced from the bottom 5 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) of the container I and is attached to this container 55 byextenslonsi on theplatelandbottomioithe container I, which extensions may be soldered or otherwise connected to hold the plate 4 in fixed relation to the container I.

A rocking lever I extends through the space between the plate 4 and bottom 5 with its ends extending beyond the concave sides I' of the container I. An insulating strip 8 extends along the upper side of the member 4 below the rocking member I and a strip of insulating material 9 extends loosely around the rocking member 1 at its middle portion. The rocking member I is lulcrumed at its middle upon the member 4.

Battery cells II and I I, circular in cross section, are laid in the grooves or concave sides I oi! the container I with their poles reversed. The positive terminal. I2 of the cell III is at the top and its negative terminal rests upon one end oi! the rocking lever I. The positive terminal II or the cell II rests upon the other end 0! the rocking lever I and its negative terminal is at the top.

A circular hole I4 is provided through the support 2 at its center for a tube through which a wick that extends into the container I passes. A screw-threaded hole I5 for the screw shell of a lamp bulb is also provided in the support 2 and a rectangular opening I6 to accommodate a cantilever member is provided in the support 2 on the other side oi the hole I4 from the hole I5. Flanges I! extend downwardly from the long sides of the hole Ii substantially the same distance as the flange 3. An elongated slot I8 with a recess I2 in one side thereof is provided near one edge of the support 2 and a pair of small rectangular openings I! is provided between the slot I2 and the center line of the support 2.

A flat steel spring 22 (Figs. 3 and 8) extends partly across the support 2. One of its ends is curved as indicated at 2| to pass through a hole in the cover. The other end is bifurcated and curved in the opposite direction, as indicated at 22 with curved portions extending into the ends of the slot II. Struck-out downwardly extending tongues 22 on the spring extend into the rectangular openings II in the support 2. A slot 2| is provided at the middle oi! the spring 20 and is enlarged at one end, as shown at 25.

A lamp bulb 2C is screwed into the threaded opening I! and its terminal 21 contacts with the terminal I2 of the cell III.

A cover 22 is provided for the device and has a slot 29 near one edge through which the curved end II of the plate spring 2' passes. The spring 2| causes the cover to snap to its open position and also to its closed position when it passes the dead center in either direction. The cover 22 is provided with spaced outwardly extending lips 30 on its edge opposite the opening 29 and it is .also provided with a fiat portion 3i between the lips 30 for a purpose-to be described below. A 5 tube 82 for a wick extends from the upper end of the container i and is provided with a head that will pass through the opening 25 in the plate spring 20 and with a. neck 33 that fits the slot 24 in the plate spring 20.

An electric switch 34 (Figs. 1, 2, and 11) is provided with a thumb piece 35; Its edge portion 36 is pivoted or rulcrumed in V-shaped notches 31 in flanges 31' at the upper end of the container I. The edge portions 28 opposite the edge portion 36 and extending on opposite sides of the thumb piece 35 bear against the rounded end 22 of the spring plate to provide a snap action to open and closed position of the switch 34. A contact extension 39 is provided at one end or the switch 34 in position to come into contact with the upper end of the cell II.

A holder or member 40 (Figs. 2, 5 and 9) is provided to extend through the opening iii in the support 2. It is provided with a notch II that spans the edge or the opening l6 and outturned flange 44' at the upper edge of the flange 31' so that this member 40 is fulcrumed on 'the edge of the opening it. A downward extension 42 is provided below the notch 4| and carries a block of insulating material 43 that rests upon the upper end or the cell II. A horizontal extension 44 extends above the notch 4| and surrounds the tube 32. An abrasion wheel 45 is journalled in the support 40 and a spring 48 presses the pencil 41 of cerium or the like against the wheel 45 in the usual manner.

A casing 48 shown in dotted lines in some of the figures may be slipped over the device from the bottom until its upper edge comes into contact with the flange 48 on the support 2. This casing may have an inwardly turned flange ii that rests against the edges or the plate. 4 on its lower side. The casing 4| is held in place by friction against the fiat sides of the container I. A hole may be provided in the lower end of the container i for'filling the same, this hole being closed by a screwplug ii that also passes through the plate 4 and helps to keep it in place.

The parts are assembled by placing the spring 5 contact 34 in the notches 31 and then placing the support 2 upon the upper end of the container I. The spring plate 20 is threaded over the tube 24 and thence moved upwardly (Fig. 3) into position where its slot 24 fits the neck of the tube and its tongues 23 snap into the openings I! with the curved portions 22 in the slot II. Inc cells iii and I i are put in place and the member 44 is passed through the opening i8 and its notch I4 is made to slip over one edge of the opening I! 0 and the flange 40'. The lamp bulb 26 is then screwed into place. When the lamp bulb 24 is screwed in, the cell I0 is moved downwardly tilting the lever I and moving the cell ll upwardly to press against the block of insulating as material 43 to turn slightly about the notch 4! as a fulcrum, thus causing the extreme end of the extension 44 to press securely against the upper side of the spring 20 so that the lamp bulb operates to keep the parts in assembled relation. The

casing 48 is then slipped on. The container I is filled and the screw 5| is screwed into place. The end 2| oi the spring 20 is raised and the cover put in place -so that the end 2| oi. the spring passes through the slot 29 or the cover.

The operation is as follows:

When the cover 28 is closed the flat portion 3| contacting with the thumb piece 35 of the contact member 34 turns it on its'edge 36 so that the contact 39 is raised oil! of the end oi! the cell H and the electric circuit is broken and the lamp 2! is extinguished. The outer portion 01 the rounded edge 22 of the spring 20 causes the contact 34 to snap into its open position by bearing upon the edge 38. At the same time the closing of the cover 28 extinguishes the fiame at the end of the tube 32. The cover is opened by pressing the lips 30 upwardly with the thumb and the thumb simultaneously pushes the thumb piece I! so that the edges it ride under the rounded portion 22 of the spring 20 and the switch 34 is snapped into its closing position with its end 30 contacting with the upper end of the cell ll, thus closing the electric circuit from the negative pole of cell III through the lever I to the positive pole l3 otrcell i I, through this cell to its negative pole. then through the switch lever 34 to the plate 2, screw shell l5, lamp 28 back to the positive pole II or cell Ill. By turning the abrasion wheel 4| a spark can be struck to light the wick I2.

I claim:

-1. In a device of the character described, a support, a liquid fuel container upon which said support rests, a wick extending from said container, an electric light bulb extending through said support, a member rulcrumed on said support and carrying an insulating extension. a spark device carried by said member in proximity to said wick, a pair oi! dry cells contacting at one end with said light bulb and insulating extension respectively, and a lever maintained by said container contacting with the other ends or said cells.

2. In a device of the character described, a

support comprising a strut, an electric light bulb extending through a portion of said support, a

member fulcrumed on a portion of said support and carrying an insulating extension, a pair of dry cells contacting at one end with said light bulb and insulating extension respectively, and

a lever 01 the first class contacting with the other ends of said cells, said strut being hollow and constituting a portion of said support.

3. In a device of the character described. a container, a plate at the end of said container, dry cells along opposite sides of said container, and means whereby longitudinal thrust on one or said cells from said plate causes the other one to approach said plate, said means comprising a strut, lever and a screw threaded member.

4. In a device of the, character described, a container, a plate at the end of said container, a tube extending from said container through said plate, means contacting with said tube to keep said plate in place, said means comprising a flat spring, and a cover on said plate pivoted on said spring.

5. In a device 01' the character described, a support, a cover pivoted on said support, and an electric switch pivoted intermediate its ends on said support in position to be turned to its open position by the side or said cover remote from its pivot.

6. In a device of the character described, a support, a cover pivoted on said support, and a longitudinally extending pivoted electric switch pivoted in position to be turned to its open position by a portion of said cover moving substantially parallel to the length of said switch, said cover contacting with said switch only in its aovaess closed position, the movement of said switch and cover being in parallel planes.

7. In a device of the character described, a support, a cover pivoted on said support, a pivoted electric switch pivoted intermediate its ends in position to be turned to its open position by said cover, said cover contacting with said switch only in its closed position, and means to cause said cover and switch to snap into their open and closed positions.

8. In a device of the character described, a support comprising a plate and a hollow container, a cover pivoted on said support, and a pivoted electric switch pivoted intermediate its it ends in position to be turned to its open position by said cover, said switch being independent of said cover and contacted by a portion of it remote from its pivot to open said switch.

9. In a device of the character described, a support comprising a plate and a hollow container, a cover pivoted on said support, a pivoted electric switch pivoted independently of the pivot of said cover in position to be turned to its open position by said cover, and means to cause said cover and switch to snap into their open and closed positions, said means also aiding in keepin; said plate and container in assembled relation.-

OTTO C. BRITBCH. 

